Tales of Arendelle
by WinterKnight2104
Summary: This is the side story based on The Tides of Time, contains stories happening during the time Mathias and Emma stayed in Arendelle. As their adventures went on, they would face the greatest challenge of their lives. Battles were fought, danger struck, but with that new alliances were forged, and in the darkest time, hope remained, bonds strengthened, love and friendship were found.
1. Father

A/N: This is a series of events of what might have, could have and have happened during _The Tides of Time_, and most of them revolve in Arendelle. It's a side story to _The Tides of Time_, so it is highly recommended. I know this isn't supposed to be posted until after the end of the main story, it spoils the surprise I'm saving for you, but today is my father's birthday and I really wanted to do something special for him. Besides, it has been a while since I posted anything, so consider this as an apology of mine for keeping you waiting for so long. I've been too busy with all the schoolwork, which I'm sure you can understand. Now, let's hope that you all like this, because I've spent weeks working on this, editing and fixing it over and over again. Took me quite some effort to try to finish and post it right on time, but I managed it. Go me! Anyway, I'd better shut up. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Father<p>

_Dedicated to my beloved father_

_Thank you for always being the greatest and at the same time the most annoying friend ever, and for always supporting this crazy little fiery girl of yours, even when she is at the furthest point of her madness and insanity._

_Happy birthday, Dad._

_Your daughter_

* * *

><p>Mathias scanned the trade document he had just received earlier that morning in his hand, his sharp brows furrowed in deep concentration. After a few moments of reading and re-reading it over and over again, as if it had become too much for him to bear, the newly king consort lay the parchment back on his wooden desk and sighed heavily. Truth to be told, he didn't enjoy these royal duties, nor the title, but it was something he had to accept when he married the queen. He had been King of Arendelle for over three months and still hadn't got used to this, the work, the etiquette. Elsa had told him it would take some time for him to eventually fit in. Mathias highly doubted that he could ever fit in for the job, but he would try to do what he could, for her, for their family and kingdom, no matter how hard and irritating it could be. But he wished his wife was here with him now. He was completely lost, confused, and didn't know what to do. For a moment, he regretted that he'd insisted Elsa to take a day off and let him do the work for her. But he noticed that his wife had been overstressing herself with her work lately, and she didn't seem well. It took Mathias some effort to convince her, since she was extremely stubborn, but having known her for a long time, he knew how to deal with her stubbornness. And now, it would seem that he was paying the price.<p>

_You've been through battles and hell, Mathias, and now you can't deal with things such as this? _He scolded himself silently. But he knew ruling the kingdom, especially a kingdom that had just gone through countless battles and destructions, was no less easy than leading an army to the battle of hell. No, this was far worse than that. Mathias groaned and leaned back in his seat, running his left hand through his raven hair, sighing heavily and wondering what he had got himself into.

_But at least I've gained something from this… a lot, actually,_ _and it was definitely worth it_, he thought with a smile as he looked at the silver ring shining brightly on his finger. He had waited for a long time, more than everyone had expected him to, and he had finally achieved this, the best thing that had ever happened to him – a wife, a family.

Though he would love to think about his wonderful new family all day, Mathias shook his head and forced himself to focus back to work. He'd assured Elsa that he could handle this for her, and he would do just that.

After a few moments, a knock suddenly came to the door of his study, following by a soft voice which Mathias recognised immediately.

"Majesty?"

A broad smile crossed Mathias' lips as he put his quill down and looked up from his desk. "Yes. Come in, Gerda," he replied.

The door slowly opened and a corpulent woman with chestnut brown hair and eyes stepped into the room, carrying a small silver tray with a porcelain teapot and a small cup. The head servant walked over to the small table near the hearth and set the tray down, turning to the king with a faint smile of sympathy on her lips.

"Rough morning, huh?" she asked.

"You can figure," Mathias rolled his eyes, sighing dramatically as he glanced at piles of paper and parchments on his desk.

Gerda let out a soft laugh. "Kai said that you were foolish and kind enough to convince your wife that you can take care of your works so she can relax. I suppose it would do you some good and you can practice. Elsa is going to be quite busy in the future and you'll have to help her." Mathias could feel the elder woman was hinting something in her voice but couldn't fathom what it was. "So," Gerda said as she poured some tea into the cup, a smirk tugging at the elder woman's lips, "How has it been going with all the paper work, Majesty? Are you enjoying doing your responsibilities to your queen and kingdom?"

Mathias groaned loudly and rolled his eyes, which only caused the grin on the elder woman's face to widen. "It's only been a few hours and I think I can't stand this anymore. My head feels like it's going to explode. I wonder how Elsa could do this every day. She says I'll get used to it in a short time but somehow I highly doubt that I would ever," he complained.

Gerda chuckled and brought the tea over to him. "You know, Mathias, if I recall correctly, your wife went through the pretty much similar situation in first months of her reign, as all ruler has to at the beginning of their rule," she said, handing him the teacup which he gladly accepted.

"Oh?" Mathias asked in surprise, raising one of his sharp eyebrows.

"Mm-hm," the elder woman nodded, "Elsa was struggling with her responsibilities as queen and she was as much confused and troubled as you now. But, despite her nerves and worries, she has done a remarkable work and become a great ruler, probably the greatest Arendelle has ever had; that, we all have to acknowledge. I'm merely a humble servant who lacks the knowledge about ruling a kingdom but I know exactly what to make you feel better right this moment, Majesty, and a nice cup of tea would do just that."

"Alright," Mathias chuckled. "Thank you, Gerda."

"It's my pleasure," she smiled mildly at him. Mathias returned her smile and brought the cup to his lips, carefully sipping the tea and sighed contentedly as he felt a blissfully comfortable warmness blooming across his chest.

_Well, what do you know? She's damn right about this. It _does _help._

"So," Gerda spoke after a few moments, placing one hand on her hip, "what has made you come to this crazy and foolishly reckless decision? I've known you long enough to know you wouldn't just recklessly do this alone. Ruling a kingdom isn't a joke and one slight mistake can cause a serious consequence that wouldn't only affect you, but the whole kingdom, you know that well. And we both know that you, of all people, even your wife, hate doing all this work. There must be a good reason why you volunteered to jump into this."

"You're right," he admitted with a sigh. "I'm not well prepared for this. I've only become the king of Arendelle for over three months, and have very little experience in this. It is extremely foolish for me to do this all alone when I barely know anything. But you're right. There is a good reason about this."

"And what is that?"

Mathias sighed heavily, but this time with deep concern mixed with some annoyance. "We both know that our queen is a workaholic who seems to love overstressing herself with her work," he said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, rolling his eyes. "Elsa is not well recently, but she keeps busying herself and refusing to give herself some time to relax. I can manage to survive one day taking care of our work for her, but she would likely go mad if I don't force her to have some free time now. It took me the whole evening to talk her into it. Three years and she's still as stubborn as ever."

"That, Mathias, is the thing that runs in the Arnesen line very strongly. I'm surprised that you managed to convince her," Gerda said. "But I'm glad that you did, though. It's good to know there's someone to look after her. But didn't you have the slightest idea of what you were thinking when you told Elsa you'll be able to manage… this?" She pointed at the piles of documents and important papers lying sprawled on his messy wooden desk.

"Honestly, I don't think that I was thinking about anything at all. Now I'm paying the price for my foolishness."

The elder woman sighed and shook his head, a smile touching her lips. "They say we do everything for our loved ones, even if it's the craziest thing in the world."

"Hey, I've risked my life countless times for her, so taking care of her work for her in one day is nothing compared to the… events we've gone through the past years. Don't worry, I'll survive… at least till dinner," the king consort smirked.

Gerda laughed softly. "I hope so," she said, walking toward him to gather the tray and the now empty tea cup. "I'll tell Kai to come and assist you. He knows how to deal with things around. Try to get your wife have as much rest as possible, Mathias. I don't want her to work too much. It's not going to do any good. She's going to be busy enough," she told him as she reached the door, failing horribly to hide the grin tugging at the corners of her lips.

"I will," Mathias nodded, "And thank you very much for the tea. I feel much better now. It really does help a lot."

"I'm glad it does," Gerda said before exiting the room and closing the door behind her.

Kai did come a few moments after Gerda left, which Mathias was very thankful, and the steward had been very helpful. With his assistance and instructions, the newly crowned king consort had managed to deal with the paper work, which had seemed worse than hell to him earlier that morning. As the two of them were going through a trade agreement with a southern kingdom, a gentle knock came to the door, causing both men to look up. Kai quickly went to open it, the steward immediately ducked into a respectful bow as he saw the queen standing at the threshold. She stood with the same poise with her platinum hair styled into a regal bun, but eyes were full of tiredness and her already pale skin seemed a bit paler.

"Majesty," he greeted hastily.

"At ease, Kai," Elsa nodded to him and gracefully stepped into the room, her gaze fixing upon her husband, who had risen from his seat and was making his way toward her.

"Hey," Mathias said, taking her slender hand in his and brushing his lips lightly against her knuckles, his eyes never leaving her. He was somewhere between happy and surprised to see her here. "What are you doing here?"

"Do I need to have a reason to come and check on my husband?" she arched an eyebrow, folding her arms against her chest and popping her hips to one side, playfulness shown in the lopsided grin on her lips. But having known her for a long enough time to tell whenever she was nervous, Mathias frowned, noticing the uneasiness in her voice as she spoke.

"Is something wrong?" he asked in concern. The grin on her lips immediately dropped into a worried frown as she bit onto her bottom lip gently.

"Elsa?" Mathias asked once again, his eyes burnt with fear that something might have happened to her. "Love, you're scaring me. Is something wrong? Are you… are you sick?"

"No, i-it's…" she stammered. Glancing over her shoulder and feeling a little uncomfortable with Kai's presence, she kindly asked him to give her a private moment with her husband, and the steward quickly exited the room. Once there were only the two of them alone in the room, Mathias asked her once again, "Will you please tell me what's troubling you, love? Are you tired or something? You didn't seem very well this morning."

"No, it's not about that. I'm… I'm feeling better now," Elsa replied quietly and pulled her hand away from his hold, eyes downcast. She went silent for a few moments of hesitance, biting her lip nervously. Finally, she found the courage to look up at him with seriousness in her eyes. "I have something to tell you," she said, her voice shaking.

"What is it?" he asked. She hesitated, eyes darting around the room nervously. He could feel her nerves increasing as the temperature of the room crawling down slowly and her hand suddenly coldened in his. Inhaling a deep breath and gathering all of her courage, Elsa brought his hand to her abdomen and placing hers upon his, looking into her husband's eyes for the first time ever since she got here. Mathias was confused at her silent message at first, but after a few moments he finally got it. He gasped, letting out a choked laugh as he stared at her abdomen in shock and for a long moment, his mouth struggling to form words, his eyes going wide in disbelief as an overwhelming happiness tugged at the corners of his lips and shone brightly in his amber orbs.

"Oh God- oh my God, you're… are you...?" he breathed, looking up and meeting her cerulean gaze. Elsa felt all the weight of nerves and uneasiness was lifted off her shoulders and let out a choked laugh, nodding to him, a broad grin pulling at her lips.

"Yes," she whispered, her eyes glittering with sparkles of tears as she cupped the sides of his face in her hand.

"I'm going to be a father?" Mathias asked, finally finding his voice again. Elsa merely nodded, her grin broadening. Mathias leaned his forehead against her and laughed, wrapping his arm around her and pressed her close against him while his other hand holding her hand tightly in his, their fingers intertwined as strings of laughter rolled past their lips.

"Oh my God, I'm going to be a father… We're going to be parents," Mathias said, hands rested on her hips and his thumbs pressing into her abdomen, where a hint of life was silently growing every day. It was his child – _their_ child.

"We are," Elsa nodded, a giggle escaping her as he wrapped her tight in a tight embrace and kissed her passionately. They stood there for what seemed like hours, celebrating the rejoicing news wordlessly in their embrace, and at the end, both king and queen were flushed from their fervent kisses, grinning from ear to ear, foreheads rested against each other as they panted heavily, their chests heaving in breathlessness; the happiness the wonderful news had brought and their elation of becoming parents shone in the eyes of the king and queen of Arendelle. Mathias thought he couldn't be happier. He was overwhelmed with joy.

"Have you told our daughter yet?" he finally asked when they'd gained their composures once again, smiling lovingly down at her.

"No," Elsa shook her head. "You," she poked at his chest, "are supposed to be the first one to know about it beside me, as you are who participated in making this little one inside me as well."

"I did a remarkable job, didn't I?" Mathias grinned slyly, raising one eyebrow at her. Elsa rolled her eyes and he laughed, grabbing her waist and pulling her close to his chest. She huffed and playfully shoved him back, almost causing him to lose his balance and stumble backwards – the queen was stronger than she seemed, but that only caused his devious grin to broaden and another laugh escaped him.

"I bet she's going to jump up and down in joy, as well as her aunt," he said. Elsa snorted a laugh.

"We'll have to make an announcement to the kingdom so people will know. But of course, we'll have to inform our family first."

"Our daughter first," he reminded her.

"Right," Elsa smirked, "Or else she'll be mad at us, or at least she'll pretend to for a few weeks, but I wouldn't like that." They chuckled lightly. After that was a brief moment of awkward silence and Mathias intended to break it, but apparently his wife beat him to it.

"There's something else I want to tell you," she said, licking her lips.

"Another?" Mathias asked, his smile still lingering on his lips as he held her slender frame in his arms. Elsa gently pulled back from her husband's arms, a small smile tugging at her lips. Mathias watched curiously as she slowly raised her hand, his eyes widening a bit as a small snowflake erupted from her palm.

"You-" he said.

"I know," she cut him off. "I've been terribly ill for a week and I've had my suspicions, but I wasn't certain because I could still summon my powers. It took me nearly half an hour to finally figure out why. The last time when I had… well, last time I came to Pabbie to ask why and he told me that because the child didn't possess any magical power and my powers had to be… blocked away for some time so that my body can be… normal, for the child's sakes."

"So that means…" Mathias trailed off, a smile forming at his lips.

"Our child will have powers, our powers," she finished for him, her eyes bright with happiness and joy. "It could have mine, it could have yours, or it could have both fire and ice powers!" she beamed. Mathias let out a blissful laugh and leaned down to kiss her; he would have picked her up and spun her around had their current surroundings allowed him to.

"So, when will I get to meet this child of mine?" Mathias asked after he broke away from her, resting a hand on her abdomen.

"In about seven months," Elsa shrugged. "You'll have to wait until then."

"That's no problem for me. It can be quite fun waiting for my child to be born, but I think it might be a _big_ problem for someone," he winked at her and she groaned, rolling her eyes.

"You most definitely _do not_ have to remind me of that. And who says it's only going to be a problem for me? You, _King Mathias_," she said, poking his chest, "since I'll be _very_ busy with this little one in my womb, I think you'll have a chance to… serve your kingdom." A sly smile crossed her lips and it was now Mathias' chance to groan in frustration, which caused Elsa to laugh softly.

"Oh don't be like that," she chided him lightly. "You'll get used to it eventually."

"I really do hope that you're right, _wife_," he mumbled, wrapping his arms around her and pulling his queen into an almost crushing embrace.

_Well, I guess everything has its price, then._

* * *

><p>Mathias was now pacing the sitting room non-stop aimlessly, occasionally running a hand through his already messy hair. Every time he heard a scream of pain echoing from the near end of the hall, the hair at the back of his head stood on end; and he thought the fire raging in him would have burst out and burnt the whole room down had he not managed to hold it back, though it was extreme agony to contain it. He silently prayed for this to pass quickly, for he thought he might explode if he had to wait like this anymore.<p>

"This is agony," he grumbled.

Kristoff rolled his eyes at his brother-in-law. "Oh, stop complaining, Mat. You've said it for the… I don't know but you've been saying those words countless times this evening. Everything is going to be fine. Don't worry."

"And how many times have you said that to me? Did it help?" the king consort scowled angrily. Kristoff opened his mouth to retort but closed it as he realised there would be no point arguing with Mathias at this moment. He understood completely the agony and worries his brother-in-law was going through.

"Calm down, Mat," Anna tried to comfort him. "Nothing bad will happen. I understand that you're worried and scared-"

"Scared?" Mathias snapped. "Anna, I'm terrified!"

"Yeah, whatever… Anyway, I understand that you're terrified – trust me, it's natural because every man is whenever this happens – but you have to calm down! It won't do you any good. Plus, you've just burnt a carpet. We don't want you to bring down the whole castle! Control your emotions, Mathias! I hate to say this, but conceal it, don't feel it!"

"It won't do any help," Mathias muttered under his breath.

"Aunt Anna is right," his daughter nodded. "You're not the only one who's like a cat on hot bricks here. I'm worried, too. What if something happens? We all do not wish for that. We all want my mother and my sibling safe and sound. It is normal for family to get worried or scared or stressed when a new family member is being delivered. Mother is strong, Father. She'll be alright. Plus, this isn't the first time she's given birth to a child."

"Alright, alright, everyone has a point," Mathias sighed heavily, though he was feeling extremely nervous and anxious. Seven months had passed since the day his wife informed him of the news about her pregnancy and tonight was the arrival of a new family member. He'd been waiting eagerly for this day, for their child to be born, to welcome a new family member. It was clear as day that his eyes sparkled with joy as he watched his wife's belly slowly grew swollen. He had loved the child with all his heart even when it hadn't been born, whispering stupid words to it that often made his wife laugh at him, but she knew even when how stupid those words could be, they all bore an endless love he gave to their unborn child. Mathias had prepared himself for this day, but somehow it became useless when the moment arrived, his composure completely disappeared and was replaced by a terrified man the moment his wife was giving birth. The king consort was dragged away from his and his wife's room and into the sitting room across the hall by his brother-in-law and pushed out of the door by the healer, though he refused to leave Elsa's side and… even threatened to burn down the door. Eventually, he had to reluctantly wait in the sitting room, but couldn't help pacing aimlessly around it. He knew Elsa was a strong woman, the strongest he'd ever met, but knowing that she was in pain but he couldn't be able to be at her side and encourage her was agony, and he hoped it would end soon, for if he had to hear her crying out in pain for another time, he thought he might die.

Alas, as if God had finally decided to put away our poor Mathias' misery at the moment, when they no longer heard the cries from across the hall, the door to the sitting room opened and the daughter of the healer, who was also her mother's assistance, stepped in. The whole family stood up as they saw her entering and Mathias sharply whirled around, concern and nerves written on his face. Seeing the bright smile on the woman's face, he sighed in relief, feeling like a heavy burden was completely lifted from his shoulders, and waiting for no second as the healer's daughter titled her head toward his room, gesturing him to come and meet his family, the king consort rushed out of the room and to his chamber.

He carefully opened the door and stepped inside. Elsa was in a sitting position between a dozen of pillows placed around her. She looked haggard and exhausted, but her cerulean eyes were shining with joy and a broad smile written across her lips as she looked down at the bundle in her arms. Hearing him enter, she looked up and smiled at him. He smiled back and slowly strode toward her, his body shaking in a mixture of nerves and happiness. As he came, he heard the baby cooing quietly and a quiet choked laugh escaped his lips as he looked down at its adorable beautiful face.

"I think someone wants to see you," Elsa whispered quietly. Mathias took a deep breath and carefully took the baby from her arms.

"It's… It's a girl…" he choked, feeling tears rolling down his cheek as joy and happiness overwhelmed in him. Elsa nodded, her smile never leaving her lips. A small grin crossed his lips as he looked down at his new born daughter once again. This time, she opened her eyes and stared at him. Her eyes wore the colour of cerulean blue – she had her mother's eyes.

"Hello, little one," he whispered, smiling down at her, eyes glistened with tears. "It's me… I'm your father." The baby grunted quietly and scrunched her face slightly, as if a response to her father's words, which made him laughing quietly. After a moment, the child yawned and slowly drifted off to a peaceful, quiet sleep in her father's arms.

_I can't believe it… I have a daughter… I'm a father now._

"She's perfect," Mathias whispered, sliding into the bed beside his wife and settling their child between them, still holding her in his arms. He turned to Elsa and pressed a soft kiss against her temple. "You did a great job, love. Thank you."

"No, Mathias," she shook her head slowly, her eyelids beginning to heavy with drowsiness and exhaustion. "Thank you," she whispered, a soft smile crossing her lips before she followed their new born daughter and fell into the murky depths of slumber, sleeping soundly beside her husband and daughter.

About a few minutes later, Mathias was back in the sitting room with the rest of the family, taking the baby with him and leaving Elsa in their room so she could rest. He was sitting in an armchair near the fireplace with his family surrounding him, holding his daughter in his arm and watching her sleep.

"Aw," his other daughter said, trying to keep her voice as low as she could. "She's so adorable! Hello, cutie, I'm your sister!"

"She's absolutely beautiful. Congratulations, Mat," Anna said with a smile.

"She looks like her mother," Roff remarked. "Let's hope that she's more like you than Elsa. Oh, don't get me wrong, I love Elsa to death, but if your child is anything like your wife and her sister, I'm afraid you're going to be very busy, Mathias."

"I'll take my chances," Mathias chuckled lightly and looked down at his daughter lovingly as she slightly shifted in his arms. She looked so peaceful in her sleep, her little mouth slightly parted and her little head rested against his chest were his heart was. From the first moment he looked into her eyes, though he knew he'd only met her for a few seconds, he felt like he'd known her for a lifetime, and that she was his. She was beautiful, just like her mother.

Mathias smiled and leaned down to press a soft kiss against his daughter's forehead, careful not to wake her.

"Welcome to the family, Ingrid… _my daughter_."

* * *

><p>Mathias leaned back in his chair and sighed. Meetings with the council weren't always pleasant. The king consort had learnt to get used to it, to the duties of a king, and for the past years he'd been a great ruler, but it didn't mean he loved his work, and it was a relief for him whenever his work was done.<p>

Mathias rose from his seat and walked over to one of the windows on the other side of the room, looking out the garden. Suddenly, his amber eyes caught sight of the frozen pond in the garden – which was unusual for it was the middle of summer – and he arched an eyebrow in surprise to see a small figure sitting on the grass-covered ground beside it. A soft and loving smile tugged at the corners of his lips. The king quickly turned on his heels and headed down to join his daughter.

_Let's hope that she's not mad at me anymore_, he thought with a chuckle as he walked through the corridors, the memory of the event two nights ago rushing back to him. Perhaps he'd forgotten that his little six-year-old daughter was everything like her mother and she was no ordinary girl, and had crossed a line he shouldn't have reached. His wife had laughed at him when he informed her that their daughter had refused to acknowledge him.

_Like mother like daughter, _Mathias thought with an amused grin as he recalled Elsa doing the similar thing to him.

Princess Ingrid was sitting leg-crossed on the soft green grass-covered ground beside the pond, magical blue erupting from her fingertips, mixed with sparkles of red and orange; her softly waved raven hair was hung loosely on her shoulders and back and held back by a red hair band. Her bright cerulean eyes watched lazily as her magic swirled in the air in front of her. With a flick of her hand, she quickly dispersed it and groaned softly. Ingrid was bored. She was upset. And every time like that, she would be found in the garden, throwing rocks into the pond or freezing it, sometimes the whole garden, or she could be hiding in her closet.

"What's with the long face, _Liten Brann_?"

Ingrid's face immediately lit up as she recognised the familiar voice. She'd almost called out for him excitedly and bounced toward him, letting him lift her into his arms and spin her around like he always did, but remembering that she was pretending to ignore him, the little princess remained silent and still at the pond.

_And here I thought I could trick her_, Mathias sighed and sat down on the soft grass beside her. She didn't even flinch, not sparing a glance at him and kept picking the grass then burning it to ash in her hand.

"You know, the grass wouldn't be able to grow if you kept picking and burning them like that."

She stopped picking the grass and set her hands in her lap, but still not looking at him, her lips slightly pouted. Another moment of awkward silence between them before Mathias decided to speak up.

"Can you please forgive me? I already said I'm sorry," he said, almost to the point of pleading. But his daughter's face remained stern and stoic, which was pretty much like her mother, and he sighed heavily.

"You know, your mother did the same to me once," he admitted. This time, the young girl's eyes widened and she slowly shifted her gaze to look at him, quirking an eyebrow in surprise. Mathias tried his best to fight the grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"She did?" Ingrid asked in the most angelic voice he'd ever heard and would never tire to hear.

"Mm-hm," he nodded, smiling softly at her. "I made her angry and she shut me out for nearly a week, not even bothering to talk to me."

"Really?" the little girl cocked her head, unable to believe her father's words. To her, her mother – the queen of Arendelle – had always been the most perfect definition of grace and poise. She was always stoic and serious, except when she was with her family. Ingrid had to admit that her mother could be quite funny sometimes, but she could never imagine her mother… doing that, especially to her father.

Mathias nodded again. "You probably don't know, but you don't take after me that spirit of yours. You're more like your mother than you think you are."

"I didn't know Mom would ever… do that to _you_."

"I suppose I earned it," he shrugged, chuckling lightly. "I made her really mad that time."

"But then… did she forgive you?" Ingrid asked, looking at him with wide innocent eyes, which only made him adore her more.

"She did. If she didn't, would she still be talking to me now?" he asked. Ingrid shook her head. She was silent for a few moments, biting her lip gently.

"So… why did she forgive you? You made her really mad, and she stopped talking to you, right? But why did she forgive you?"

"Because that's what families do, Liten Brann. We forgive each other, no matter what the other person do," Mathias said mildly and she nodded slowly, pressing her lips into a thin line. After a few moments, he asked, "So can you forgive me now?"

Ingrid sighed dramatically. She almost nodded, but a mischievous grin crossed her face. She stood up, holding her head high and fixing her shoulders back as her mother usually did, her expression becoming stoic and regal like a true monarch.

"If you want forgiveness, you have to ask for it formally," she demanded. Mathias' jaw dropped.

Now I'm beginning to be confused who's Elsa and who's Ingrid, he thought amusedly. A deep chuckled escaped his lips as he shifted into a position in front of her, kneeling on one of his knees, unable to keep the broad grin from his face.

"Princess Ingrid of Arendelle, will you forgive me?" he said. Ingrid crossed her arms firmly against her chest and arched an eyebrow, copying her mother's actions.

"You'd have to do better than that."

"Hey, I'm the king here," he protested.

"You're the king consort," she corrected. "Technically, Mother has more authority than you, and I'm to be the queen some day, so yeah."

"Oh come on," Mathias rolled his eyes. "Please, give this poor father of yours a break. You've been ignoring me for two days, _Liten Brann_, and though I hate to admit, it was no fun."

"Alright, alright, I'll stop!" Ingrid said, her regal and stoic mask slipping away in the matter of seconds. She laughed, her voice ringing in the air like music to his ears, and launched herself in his arms. Mathias laughed with her, sitting back and pulling her slender frame into his lap, positioning her so that her head rested just above his heart.

"So, since you're not pretending that I'm invisible anymore, I take it that you've forgiven me, _Highness_?"

"No," she snorted, crossing her arms playfully. "I'm still mad at you."

"Oh really, now?" he asked, a mischievous smirk crossing his lips. Ingrid let out a startled squeak as he tickled her almost relentlessly and attempted to escape of her father's strong grasp but failed horribly.

"Hey! That's… not… f-fair!" she exclaimed. "You know I'm… t-ticklish! Ha-ha! Alright, alright! You won! You won!" It was all Mathias needed to hear, and he finally stopped tickling his daughter. Ingrid laughed, clutching her stomach and wiping away her tears.

"Well, wasn't that easy, _Highness_?" Mathias joked.

"You're evil," she said, giggling. After a few moments, she managed to straighten herself. "But you're not going to get your victory that easily."

"What else can I do for you, _milady_?" Mathias asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, you can – oh, please, stop with the formalities already – we can," she hesitated, her eyes sparkling with mischief and playfulness. She leaned forward and whispered into his ears. Mathias' eyes widened and he looked at her, shocked.

"Are you serious?" Ingrid nodded. "You gotta be joking." She shook her head. "What will your mother say if she knows about this?"

"Mom and Grand Uncle taught me how to sword fight."

"Wait, what?"

"Oh come on, it's not like it'll do any harm. Only one fight! Ander is going on an ice harvesting trip with Uncle Kristoff. Emily doesn't like these stuffs. Mom is busy and my sister, Casper and Grand Uncle are, too. Alek and Jamie aren't home so it leaves you only. You're very good at it, aren't you? Grand Uncle, Casper, Ander and Alek told me that you and Mom even fought the evil sorceress of Weselton and the bad prince of the Southern Isles, so you must be really good at sword fight! They won't lie to me."

"Hold on a second, they told you those stories? And what does Alek know about it? He was merely a newborn that time."

"His father told him."

"Right, he's the son of the general."

"Yeah, and those stories are waaayy better than the ones you told me, with the princes and the princesses and fairies, and even something like love-at-first-sight. They just don't exist."

"Who told you that?"

"No one. I just overheard Mom telling Aunt Anna that you can't marry someone you just met… Isn't that love-at-first-sight?"

"Sort of."

"So can we go to the sparing field now? You owe me, remember?"

Mathias sighed and rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I really hate you, kiddo."

Ingrid giggled and crawled out of his lap. "Aw, that's so sweet. I love you, too, Dad. Come on, come on! Hurry up! Let's go and play!"

A mischievous idea crossed his mind and he smiled deviously. "Can't… get up," he said dramatically, trying to push himself up but failed horribly, the grin on his face broadening. Ingrid groaned and rolled her eyes. "Help me up."

"What?" she shrieked. "That's unfair!"

"Do you want to play or not?"

"Sometimes I really hate you, Dad."

"Well, isn't that the sweetest thing I've heard? Love you, too, _Liten Brann_."

Groaning, Ingrid grabbed his hands and tried her best to pull her father to his feet, grunting as she did but failed horribly and fell flat on her bottom. Mathias laughed, which caused his daughter's nose to scrunch slightly. He stood up and helped her to her feet, unable to stop his laughing. Ingrid rolled her eyes and threw a snowball at his stomach.

"Alright, alright, we've had enough fun here," Mathias said. "Do you want to go and play or what?"

"Race you to the sparing field!" Ingrid shouted and bolted away. Mathias laughed and ran after her.

_I wonder how life would be without this little fiery girl of mine._

* * *

><p><span>Translation<span>:

_Liten Brann_: Little Fire

* * *

><p>AN: Well, that's that! So, do you like it? The father-daughter moment between Mathias and Ingrid is actually based on me and my father. We always argue about something; Mom always complains about the house never being quiet, even for a minute. Dad always teases me, sometimes he forgets when to stop and that can make me mad at him for a few days, but eventually we get along. Though I never said this out loud, and I hate to admit it for he always teases me, driving me insane every day of my life, I really love my father.

Anyway, there are a few characters whose names shall remain unknown so that my other secrets won't be spoiled, and a few those you do not recognise such as Casper, Emily, Alek and Jamie. For those people, you will meet them soon in the coming chapters of _The Tides of Time_. I will try my best to post a new chapter as soon as possible, but with all the tests coming up in this week, I'm afraid that it will take a while. Sorry.

I hope you like this one. Tell me how you feel about it. Remember, this is a series based on _The Tides of Time_, so read that fanfic so you won't get confused. I won't be posting another story in this series until I finish the main story. Also, please have a look at my other fanfic, _The Legacy of the Father_.

I love you all. Bye!


	2. Together Again

Together Again

_To _Mikiri Yunosakaii_,_

_It has been a great pleasure being your friend for the past one and a half year, Ly, and I would never trade the world for it. You, my dear friend, have been like a little sister to me. Thank you for always being there for me. I don't know what I would do without you._

Aurora

_PS: Good luck in England. I can only wish for you the best. May the winds bless your sail, Pirate Princess._

* * *

><p>AN: I guess I owe you guys this one. During the whole story of The Tides of Time, I've been brushing Anna out and barely wrote about her at all. It's not like I don't like her, but I don't know where to put her in my story so I just wrote around her instead. But my friend was right. Elsa and Anna's sister love is the core of Frozen and my lack of ideas and focus hinders this.

This story is basically an expanded scene from Chapter 12 of The Tides of Time, a little different from the original one, set after Anna has returned and the talk between Elsa and Mathias. It's been a while since I've written about Elsa and Anna's sister love, so please forgive me if it's not good enough. I've tried my best. Anyway, enjoy reading.

(_Mikiri Yunosakaii_: It seems like I finished this sooner than planned. Perhaps if you're still awake you might be able to see this, if not then you can tomorrow morning. Again, happy birthday)

* * *

><p>Elsa stood under the oak, placing her hand on the tree trunk. The autumn wind ran through her long platinum blonde hair and caressed her face. She exhaled a deep sigh and closed her eyes, letting memories of a lost time rushing back to her. Here, right under this oak, had marked her engagement. Here, James had proposed to her. Right under this tree, she had heard her daughter's first words. She could still remember how those tiny lips struggling to form the word 'Mama' with such a sweet angelic voice she could never be satisfied of hearing. This had been the place where her family would go and have a small picnic together, or just her and her husband on a horse ride. This had been the place where peace, contentedness and happiness were what she could find here. But now, whenever she came here, it was to be alone and isolated from the world once again and to torture herself with her grief and painful memories of the past.<p>

She had thought keeping all the pain to herself and concealing it would be a good idea, but instead of helping her, it only increased the already excruciating pain she had to endure. Had she not told herself all the time that the past was in the past and she just had to let it go?

_But even if we don't want to look back within the past, sometimes it can come back to haunt us. And letting go of everything… is not always as easy as it sounds_, Elsa thought sadly.

The sound of a cracking branch startled her and caused her to whirl around. To her relief, it was only her sister Anna. A smile touched her lips as she saw Anna walking toward her.

"Hey," Elsa greeted quietly.

"Hey," Anna smiled. "Mind if I join you?"

"No, of course not," Elsa returned the smile. "How did you know I was here?"

"I didn't. Mathias told me you would be here," the younger woman replied. Within two strides, she was now standing before her sister. She paused for a moment, taking in the view. "I haven't been here for years, not since we had Alex. I guess I just got too busy with everything, Ander, life, duties with the kingdom. Things haven't changed much around here, have it? It's still the same."

"Yes, it's still the same," Elsa echoed, looking at the mountains at the distance, eyes dulling for a moment. "Everything is still in place, but not everyone."

Anna sighed, biting her bottom lip. "Kristoff told me," she said quietly, "About everything."

There was a long stretch of silence between the sisters before Anna decided to break it. "I'm sorry," she said, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder. "I-I know you miss them… I do, too."

"I know you do," Elsa sighed, grabbing her sister's hand in hers. "How… How have you been? I haven't seen you in almost a whole year… Did they hurt you?"

"No, not really," Anna shook her head. "I'm alright now. Phyiscally, I'm fine, maybe thinner and somewhat green because I didn't get to eat properly, but they didn't even lay a finger on me. There are also men who are still loyal to us. They made sure no harm came to me. Mentally, I don't think I was. I was so lonely. It was just me mostly all the time. Sometimes I could talk to the guards standing guard in front of my cell, but only the good ones. But now, I'm almost perfect. I'm back to you, to Kristoff, to _Ander_, Uncle and everyone else. But, Elsa…" Anna hesitated for a moment, tears welling up in her eyes. "Is it true? Hans came to me occasionally. He told me about… about James and little Alex… He told me what he did to you. Please tell me it's not true, that he was only bluffing!"

Elsa let out a sigh. "You've been gone for so long. Let us sit down. We have a lot to catch up with," she said. Anna nodded and did as her sister told her.

"What did Hans told you?" Elsa asked quietly, eyes downcast, not daring to look into Anna's eyes.

"He said… he told me how James died, how he killed Alex! Oh God, Elsa, is it true, that little Alex was killed in such horrible way? Were you two forced to watch it? Is it true that… Hans… he did all those things to you?" Anna asked.

Elsa gulped, tears blurring her vision, grief and anger raging inside her. Her fists were clenched tight, her jaws tightened. It was all Anna needed to confirm the words of the Southern prince. She gasped in horror, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Oh, Elsa," she said, putting her arms around her sister. Elsa immediately wrapped her arms around Anna, burrying her face into the younger woman's shoulder and wept, streams of tears rolling down her cheeks and staining the fabric of her sister's dress. Anna couldn't hold back her tears, either. Between her sobs, Elsa managed to tell her sister of what had happened to her husband and daughter. The two sisters held each other for what seemed like forever, mourning for the loss of their families.

"It must have been hard… for you," Anna said once they'd untangled themselves from each other's embrace, the two of them now sitting beside one another under the oak.

Elsa sighed. "It was," she admitted. "What Hans did to me… it took me nearly half a year to fully recover. I owe Pabbie my life. Had it not been for him, I wouldn't have survived. That poison was very strong. He said it could have killed me. But don't worry. My back is now fully healed, but… the scars would still remain til the rest of my life.

"It wasn't easy at all. After I have recovered, I actually almost lost the will to live. I tried to kill myself three times." That earned a shocked gasp from Anna, and she squeezed her hand tight. "The first time I just wanted to end my life with my dagger," Elsa rolled up her sleeve to reveal the scar where she'd dug her blade into her left wrist, "but Kristoff and Gerda were there to prevent it. The second time, I released a massive blizzard that last for a whole week. It almost drained all my strength and energy. You know if I went past my limits, I could die. And first I only needed to let all my grief go for a moment, and then the idea struck me. But the pain was too much for me to bear and I couldn't continue anymore, so I collapsed and it stopped. It was like someone was ripping my chest out from the inside." Elsa shivered at the frightful memories.

"The third time I was standing right on the edge over there. Clearly, no one could survive the fall from here," she continued, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them again, but still avoiding Anna's gaze. "But I had hesitated. I had had a second thought. Then I realised I had been so weak and so foolish. I'd let the grief and pain win that I'd forgotten," her eyes finally met Anna's teary gaze, a smile twitching at her lips. "I'd forgotten that I was still a queen, people here still relied on me. I'd forgotten that I still had family and friends who would undoubtedly love me and help me to get through this, and that I had to take care of them. I'd forgotten that they still had you, and I had to find a way to get you back to your husband and son, to me. I understand more than all people that no woman should be ripped away from her husband and her children. I understand more than all people that no one deserves to be locked up and isolated from the outside world. That's why I decided to continue to live. You gave me will to live – my family gave me will to live." Elsa squeezed Anna's hands tight in hers, looking at her little sister lovingly.

Anna smiled and gently pulled her older sister in a hug. "You know," Anna began, sighing sadly and closing her eyes. "I've been so lonely all this time in that dark and cold cell. Sometimes when I was desperate, it crossed my mind too that maybe I could have just ended my life there. Keeping me there would only make it more difficult for you guys and the people. I knew Hans did terrible things to our kingdom and our subjects, and I wanted to free them. And the loneliness, the isolation, I couldn't stand it sometimes. I just thought maybe I could just bite my tongue and let myself bleed to death. But I didn't." A small smile crossed her lips and she let out a tiny choked laugh. "And do you know why, Elsa? You, Kristoff, Ander, Uncle and everyone gave me back my strength and will to live, to wait until the day we would reunite again. And here we are," She pulled away from her sister's arms and looked into her eyes, "Together again."

"Together again," Elsa repeated, nodding in agreement, a smile touching her lips.

"So," Anna beamed brightly, "How is everyone? Is Uncle Roff still a grumpy grandpa? But you two are good now, right? How is it going between Casper and Beth? What about Ivar and Derek? Oh, Susan! What about her? And the others, how are they doing?"

Elsa chuckled upon seeing that her sister's ethusiastic spirit had not yet gone.

"Everyone is doing fine. And Uncle and I are good now, but he hasn't changed much, still loves to tease and make fun of me, and sometimes there are a few… debates between us," Elsa replied with a bright smile. "As for Casper and Beth, sadly, they're not together anymore, but I swear to you, he's not giving up yet, but she's playing hard to get. Derek is doing fine. Ivar is still undefeatable in archery, but he still can't beat me in a sword fight. His swordmanship is rather… horrible." The two laughed.

"Susan is doing absolutely well. At such age and I'm surprised she's still as sharp as ever. She's training Beth to become a healer someday. Emma is quite close to them, and she seems to be quite interested in it so the old woman taught her some basics about healing and treating minor wounds and injuries," Elsa said.

"You know, Kristoff has told me about this girl and Mathias, but I have a feeling I'd gather more information from you. So can you tell me about Emma and this guy who happens to look almost identical to my brother-in-law and also wields fire? What are they like?" Anna raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Well," Elsa bit her lip, "I suppose since you'll be staying with them for a while, you should know something about them. Do you remember the stories of the Warlocks and the Five Forbidden Hallows Father used to tell us as a child?"

"Of course I do. But how does it relate to these two? Wait," Anna gasped. "You don't mean…"

"They came here by the Mirror and the Medal," Elsa nodded. "They're from the future. According to them, they come from the 21st century."

"No way," Anna exclaimed.

"Way," Elsa smirked playfully. "Anyway, Mathias isn't identical to James, but I have to admit that I had almost mistaken him to your brother-in-law at first. Many people did. But if you're observant enough, you'll notice that he's younger than James, his nose is smaller and less prominent, and he doesn't have the scar behind his ear. Mathias definitely looks younger – he's five years James' junior. And he is not much of a soldier like James, more like a scholar, and he doesn't have the manners of a royalty."

"Okaaayy," Anna said. "I wasn't expecting your answer to be so… descriptive."

"Anna, Mathias has been here for more than three months, and he's one of the soldiers, so I would know. Besides, how could I have missed those details?"

"What about Emma?"

Elsa sighed. "Emma is no ordinary thirteen-year-old girl, I can tell you." Anna didn't miss the tenderness in her sister's cerulean blue eyes as she said the young girl's name. "She is rather interesting and… unique. Sometimes, she's energetic, childish and quite naïve, but sometimes, surprisingly, she can become quite mature and pensive. She is kind and caring and extroverted. Every person in the village adores her and the children love her. She's quite good with children, too. Emma seems to always know how to take care of them. She's been great friends with Ander and Olaf, you know."

"Oh?" Anna's eyes slightly grew wide in surprise.

"Yes," Elsa nodded. "Emma has been like a sisterly figure to Ander. She always takes care of him and plays with him."

"You seem to be quite fond of her."

Elsa was silent for a few moments. "I am. She reminds me of Alex. She reminds me of what being a mother is like. I don't know why, but from the first time I watched her in her sleep, I suddenly had the same feeling when I looked at Alex while she was asleep – you know I often snuck into her room and sit there watching her sleeping until James came and took me back to our room. I don't know why, but I think I feel like there's a connection between us."

Elsa let out a small chuckle. "It's been so long since I have lost faith in the Gods. I haven't prayed to them in a year. I doubt they would still care for me. But is Emma here a coincidence, or is it something fate has designed? Because she came here right the moment I just lost my daughter and need someone to love, and she is a confused motherless child who need a person to guide her."

Anna looked at her sister sadly. Though she was relieved that there was someone who was able to bring back a spark of light to her sister's eyes, it saddened her that everything Elsa had been through was too much that she had lost faith in the Gods and doubted they still cared for her. But Anna couldn't bring herself to blame her. She just felt a deep sadness for her sister.

"I'm glad you've found company and consolation in this new little friend of yours," Anna said with a smile. "To be honest, I think I do like this girl. She's adorable, isn't she?"

"Indeed she is," Elsa beamed.

"So what about that guy Mathias? You're aware that he wields fire, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. I was the one to train him to use his magic in combat. He is much more powerful than James was and as much as I am. Mathias, unlike your brother-in-law, was born with the power like me, not cursed."

A gasp escaped Anna's lips. She brought her hands to her mouth. "He was born with the powers? Elsa, does this mean… he's… he's the ancient prophecy?"

A wave of flush rushed to Elsa's cheeks. She bit down her bottom lip and said quietly, "I'm not sure myself. There is a possibility he might be the Protector. He might be the only hope for Arendelle. There is no denial that he is extremely powerful."

Anna frowned, her brows creasing. "Elsa, he and Emma have been staying here for months. You know full well they are from the future therefore they cannot remain in the past. They have to return to their right time… But Elsa, I fear that… that you're keeping them here because…"

"No, Anna," Elsa shook her head. "I've already brought them to the trolls several times to ask Grand Pabbie if he knew a way to bring them back, but so far we've found nothing. I do not wish to keep them here. They, too, have family back home so who am I to keep them from their own family? Besides, you're back now. We've been preparing for this for a whole year. I've already had a plan for Hans and Alfonse."

"What about Hayden?" Anna asked.

"Well," Elsa said, "Just leave him to me."

"Elsa! You know you can't face him alone! He's extremely dangerous and powerful! He'll kill you, Elsa! And the prophecy has stated firmly that-"

"I know what the prophecy said!" Elsa snapped. "But I cannot force Mathias into this. It's absolutely none of his concern. It is entirely up to him to make his own decision. I can't get the two of them involved. If…" she hesitated. "They're already stuck in the past, Anna. If they died here… then the future would be all messed up. If they died here, Anna, they wouldn't exist in the future."

"I haven't thought of that," Anna said quietly, eyes downcast. "It's just that…" She let out a heavy sigh, fixing her gaze toward the South. "It's our home down there, Elsa, and it was relentlessly stolen away from us. It's our kingdom down there. Our people are suffering because the greed of a mad man! I can't bear to see them like that. Just to think of it nearly tears my heart apart! It's not because of the throne. We never needed or wanted it. It's our people. They did nothing wrong and now they're suffering the cruelty of that man!"

"I know, Anna. I know," Elsa whispered, wrapping an arm around her sister's shoulder and pressing a kiss against her temple. "We'll take back Arendelle. I promise. Together, we will."

Anna smiled and rested her head in the crook of Elsa's neck, sighing happily. She had finally returned to her sister, her son, her husband, her family. To say Anna was happy was an understatement!

Suddenly, the princess gasped and jerked upright. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "The trolls! They don't know I'm back yet! I… we… I have to tell Kristoff… we have to go and tell them. They must be worried sick about me! I-"

"Anna, calm down!" Elsa laughed, pulling her sister back to where she was on the ground as she attempted to stand up.

_She never changes_, Elsa thought with a smile.

"Anna," Elsa said softly, "Relax! Of course you would have to inform them of your return soon, but not now! Don't be in such a hurry! You've been gone for a whole year. At least stay for a few days to with us and the others before visiting the Rock Valley. We've all missed you, you know."

"Oh. I guess you're right. I do have some catching up to do. A lot, actually," Anna giggled.

Anna stared out at the golden sky, eyes dulling for a moment. The wind gently brushed against her cheeks. Her strawberry blonde hair was let loose, falling on her shoulders in soft waves. She was still as beautiful as ever. There were dark circles under her eyes as a result of countless sleepless nights in the cold dark cell, but they could not hide the pair of cerulean blue eyes shining brighter than starlight and the enthusiasm forever nestled in them. Her lips though didn't have the same rosy red colour they once had when curled up into a smile could still brighten up the darkest time. This was still Anna, though slightly changed in appearance but inside still the same Anna we knew and loved, and she had returned. She had returned, and there was no word enough to describe her feelings to be reunited with her family. For now, Anna was truly happy. It might not be a full and perfect happiness, for the loss of many friends and two family members was too great, but it was enough to make up for the lonely days of her imprisonment and the hole in her heart for the past year.

A tear rolled down Anna's cheek, sparkling like a diamond.

"Anna?" Elsa said, placing her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Anna, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Anna let out a choked laugh and shook her head, a broad grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "No. Nothing is wrong now. Everything is great," she whispered. "It's… It's just so good to be back."

Elsa sighed in relief and smiled lovingly at her sister, brushing a strand of hair out of Anna's face with her finger. "It's good to have you back, too."

The princess rested her head on her sister's shoulder, a broad smile still curling at her lips. There was a long pregnant stretch of silence between the sisters before Anna lifted her head and spoke once again, this time with a serious tone.

"What do you think will happen next? Will everything be alright?" she asked, her brows creasing in a frown.

Elsa was silence for a moment. Her eyes moved toward the south where their kingdom lay. What would happen next? She wasn't sure herself. Whatever had been laid out before them would definitely be arduous. There was a war awaiting them. Their future was a complete blur, and Elsa had absolutely no idea how it would turn out like eventually.

She then turned to look at her sister straight in the eye and grasped her hand tight in hers.

"I cannot tell how the future would be, nor can I be sure everything would be alright, for there are many trials ahead of us, but I can assure you that whatever we are going through, we _will_ go through it together. You will not be alone, so will I and everyone else. Nothing can keep us apart again, for we will always be together," she said firmly.

Anna smiled brightly, squeezing Elsa's hand tightly in hers. "Together," she repeated, "Together again."

The two sisters pulled each other into a warm hug. True, the future was completely a mist to them. They had no clue which path had been laid out for them. But it didn't matter, as long as they had each other, and together, they would face whatever awaiting them in the path of life.

* * *

><p>AN: This is much shorter than the last one I gave you, only about 4000 words, but I hope it is good enough. And I have GREAT NEWS for you, guys! This _won't_ be the last update in this year! There will be another special update for Christmas in about between the 21st of this month and the Christmas morning, so remember to check it out! It is also a Christmas present to all of you. By the way, there will also be an update for _The Tides of Time_ within a day and a half from now.

Until then

Phuong


	3. A Future Never Imagined

A Future Never Imagined

* * *

><p>AN: Well, it's actually nightime here in Hanoi, I know I promised an update for Christmas morning but I got sick yesterday then something else got into my way today so there was a delay. But at least some places in the world are morning right now and it's still December 25th so it's okay, right? Anyway, merry Christmas and happy New Year! This will be the last update… of the year. Enjoy! I hope this can warm you up in a cold winter (if it's winter at your place, which it is in mine and it's freezing cold).

Oh, and, just so you know, I don't know much about Christmas, because some people in our country, well, quite many, actually, don't celebrate Christmas, which includes my family, so I'm not really focusing on the Christmas subject here, but more like family moments. Roff, of course, will be present in this chapter. His name was actually Rolf. I remember the name from some story I read, but my memory didn't serve me right that time, so it became Roff instead of Rolf. I didn't realise until much later so I just left it like that. Also, I just found out recently that I named Elsa and Mathias' daughter after the princess of Norway – Ingrid Alexandra. It's a coincidence! Before that, I didn't even know Norway is a sovereign and unitary monarchy! How cool is that! I have a character with the same name as the little princess of Norway. Ingrid means beauty, and Alexandra is Elsa's deceased daughter's name, a feminine form of Alexander – defender of Men, if I recall correctly.

* * *

><p>"Elsa!" Anna exclaimed loudly, bursting into the room.<p>

"Anna! Shush!" Elsa hissed. She then glanced at the bundle in her arms. "You'll wake her up," she said in a whispering voice, staring lovingly at her three month old daughter.

"Oops, sorry," Anna apologised, quietly making her way toward her sister and sleeping niece. The child was sleeping soundly in her mother's arms, her little mouth slightly parted, forming a perfect tiny 'o'.

"Aw," Anna coo'd, "She's so sweet. It's either she's such a nice baby or you're a wonderful mother. When Ander and Emily were her age, they would never stay still like this, unless they had exhausted themselves!"

"Anna, they are _your_ children. It wouldn't be surprising they got that energy from you," Elsa grinned. But as she looked down at her daughter, the corners of her lips suddenly curled into a sad frown. "It took me full half an hour to finally get her to sleep. Ingrid isn't usually a fussy child but for a moment I thought I could never stop her crying. Mathias always has his ways to cool this fiery one down. Though she can't talk yet, I know she was demanding for her father. She misses him, and so do I." Elsa sighed heavily then put the baby back to her crib.

Anna looked at her sister sympathetically. She then grabbed Elsa's hand and pulled her out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Once they were outside, Anna immediately placed a comforting hand on Elsa's shoulder. "Don't be sad. It's Christmas, your favourite time of the year – _our_ favourite time of the year. It's been so long since you've had a merry Christmas, so please don't be sad in such day as this. He'll be back before you know it."

"Now I'm regretting sending him away to Bryne. Surely I could have let someone else go as a representative of Arendelle. I don't know why I let him talk me into it… again."

"I think it's because you're getting softer, especially with Mathias," Anna teased.

Elsa shot her sister a glare. "You're not helping."

Anna chuckled lightly, trying to keep her voice low so that she wouldn't wake little Ingrid up.

"You know he did it for good purpose, right?" Anna said. "Foreign Minister Ingerborsen deserves to be with his family in this holiday. But Bryne, like Corona and the Southern Isles, is one of our closest trade partners, so someone has to go, and Mathias is always good with this kind of stuff; you've trained him well." The corners of Elsa's lips rose slightly for a brief moment as she recalled her 'lessons' with her husband. "But don't go and blame yourself for letting him go," Anna continued. Even with the power of winter, you can't foresee this blizzard, nor can you change the nature – you've said so yourself. Besides, he promised he'd return to you three. It's your first Christmas together, after all, so I don't think he'd likely break it. He's a fire wielder, for God's sakes, so could you please stop worrying now?"

Elsa laughed lightly, probably for the first time in a long while. Since she received the news of a blizzard delaying her husband's return from a kingdom in the West Lands, she had been extremely anxious for him – she feared something might happen to Mathias and that he wouldn't be able to return. It had been years since they last had a peaceful holiday with their family, and this was his first Christmas with his wife and daughters. But now, her sister's words though could not dissipate the anxiety in her, had managed to somehow ease the queen's worries.

"Thanks, Anna," she smiled, hugging her little sister. "What would I do without you?"

Anna grinned, "Be the strongest, bravest and greatest woman in this world."

"Oh, please," the queen shoved her sister playfully, rolling her eyes. The two sisters then joined each other in merriful laughter. In their early thirties and the two Arnesen sisters were still as close and fun as they used to be.

The corridor suddenly filled with a string of childish giggles and laughter, followed by the sounds of little feet echoing the halls.

"Can't catch me, can't catch me!" a three-year-old girl with blonde hair and cerulean blue eyes exclaimed, giggling merrily.

"I'll beat you, Emily!" A boy at the same age with fiery red hair and teal blue eyes followed closely behind her.

"Wait! Emily, Alek, slow down!" A ten-year-old boy with ginger hair and brown eyes rushed after the two kids.

Anna gasped as she saw the three children shouting and chasing each other in the hallway. "Ander! Emily! Alek!" she shouted. The kids immediately came to a halt upon hearing the princess's firm voice, the two youngest children bumping into each other.

"Hey!" they glared at each other.

"Emily, Alek," Anna said sternly at the two kids.

"Sorry, Mama," Emily mumbled. She glanced at Alek and nudged him lightly. The little boy mumbled a quiet sorry to the princess. Anna sighed and shook her head.

"Children, I want you to have fun with each other this Christmas, but please, keep quiet so that your cousin can sleep," Anna chided lightly.

"Aw, we thought we could play with little Ingrid," Alek said sadly.

Elsa smiled softly and knelt down in front of the boy, patting his head gently. "I'm sorry, Alek, but Ingrid needs to sleep right now. But you can play with her tonight," she said softly.

"Really?" the boy's teal blue eyes lit up immediately. Emily, too, looked at her aunt with pleading eyes.

"Really," Elsa nodded. The two children cheered in joy, but as soon as Ander shushed them and reminded them that the little princess was still sleeping, they both kept quiet, but still grinning broadly from ear to ear.

Elsa chuckled at the three kids then rose to once again stand by her sister's side. The three had been so close that they were inseparable. Ander, despite being seven years senior, was still close to his sister and her little friend; the ginger-haired boy was always their leader in every game. Emily was as much a chirpy girl like her mother, but to the castle's staff's relief, not as clumsy as the eldest princess used to be. Little Alek Johannsen though wasn't related to the family by blood, only a few weeks younger than Emily, was like a little brother to both Bjorgman kids. The three of them were adorable, but they were adorable trouble-makers and had a knack of causing chaos on their way. Still, the royal family loved them dearly.

"They're just like the two of us when we were little, aren't they?" Anna smiled.

"They are like the two of us when we are together," Elsa corrected.

"Poor Kai and Gerda had to watch over us for all those years! Wait. Hold on a second," Anna's brows suddenly creased into a frown. "I thought I told Emma to watch over the kids."

"Oh thank goodness!" a voice exclaimed between gasps. A young woman of the age of seventeen rushed toward them, emerald eyes filled with relief, her chocolate brown hair fluttering as she went.

"Oh God, I was so worried," Emma sighed in relief. She then looked at the three children. "Kids, I thought I told you to wait for me at the sitting room. I was looking for you everywhere!"

"Sorry, Emma," Ander scratched the back of his head awkwardly, looking at his cousin apologetically. "Emily and Alek wanted to play with Ingrid so we came here."

"Ander, it is Ingrid's naptime now. You can't come here and disturb-" Emma paused suddenly as she saw her mother and aunt. "Oh, hello Mother, Aunt Anna," the young woman smiled weakly, but her smile dropped when she saw her aunt's raised eyebrow. She sighed. "I'm sorry. I was watching the kids when Kai came and asked me a few things about tonight's dinner, so I told them to go and wait for me at the sitting room then we can decorate the Christmas tree together. But when I came, they weren't there and I freaked out and then-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down, darling," Elsa said, placing a hand on her adopted daughter's shoulder. Despite being a woman she was now, Emma still hadn't changed much, or at all. "There's no need to panic. The three of them are here, all safe and sound."

"Alright, alright, I'm calm," Emma took a deep breath.

"Good," Elsa smiled.

"Okay," Anna spoke up, looking at the three children with a playful glint in her eyes. "So, who wants to decorate the Christmas tree?" The kids errupted in a fistful of laughter and cheers, but she quickly quieted them down by putting a finger on her lips, motioning toward the door where a little baby girl is sleeping soundly. They understood and obeyed, and the eldest princess silently led them away to the family's private sitting room.

Once it was only her with her mother, Lady Emma immediately turned to the queen with a concerned expression on her face. "You look troubled, Mother. Is it about Father?"

Elsa sighed. "Yes. I'm worried about him. I fear he wouldn't make it tonight. He already missed dinner with our family."

"I know," Emma said. "I'm worried about him, too. Do you remember last time when someone in particular raced through a blizzard to the middle of the battlefield to see someone, I was so worried that I could barely eat or sleep for days? And not to mention the whole kingdom couldn't rest easily until that person came back safe and sound." A smirk rose at the corner of the young woman's lips, causing Elsa to laugh lightly.

"Yes, I think I, of all people, remember it most. It was risky, I know, and I'm sorry for making you all worried sick, but I was panicking and not thinking clearly. But turns out, I did the right thing, didn't I?"

"Yes, you certainly did, Mother," Emma said softly. "You've taken that risk for Father, so I am quite confident that he would definitely do the same to you."

"Emma, that's what I'm worried about. Last time when he sacrificed himself for me, it didn't go very well."

"But it ended up pretty nicely, didn't it? After all, look at the result of everything." Emma grinned mischievously, glancing at the door to where her little sister was sleeping in, and that earned her a light slap on her forearm from her mother. The younger woman laughed, rubbing the spot where her mother had struck her.

"You're getting rather like your aunt," Elsa mumbled.

"Well, while you and Father are busy with… things, whoelse is there for me to be with save for my aunt?" Emma said playfully. "But, seriously, don't worry too much. Father is affected by the cold, still, but it doesn't mean he cannot prevent it. I mean, sheesh, we're talking about a man with the power to wield fire as easily as breathing itself here. Don't pressure yourself. Just have faith that he would be alright. For now, let's enjoy this day. It's our first Christmas together!"

"But your sister-"

"Can be taken care of by one of the maids, who we can send for in our way," Emma interrupted. "Now come on, Mother, you're missing all the fun!" She grabbed the older woman's hand and tugged lightly. Elsa laughed.

"Alright, I'm coming," she rolled her eyes then let her daughter lead her toward the staircase.

The Arendellian royal family's private sitting room was a chamber located on the second floor of the East Wing - the family wing. It was considered as small compared to such grand castle, but warm and cosy, and of course there was enough space for the whole family and the children, illuminated by light of the smouldering flame in the large stone hearth on the left side of the room. Tonight, all members of the family were gathering in this room. In an armchair nearest to the fire was an old man with grey hair dressed in an old guard uniform; a dark-haired man and a woman with fiery red hair sat in a nearby long sofa, along with a large, muscular man with light blonde hair and brown eyes. On the other side of the room, under a tall Christmas tree that seemed to reach to the ceiling decorated with hundreds of tapers burning like stars upon the branches, Princess Anna of Arendelle was sitting with her legs tucked under her, watching as the three children – Ander, Emily and Alek – playing with the family's snowman, Olaf. The small area was filled with strings of childish giggles and laughter and the chirpy voice of a particular snowman with snow flurries above his head, while the adults on the other side of the room watched them with adoring eyes.

Upon seeing Elsa and Emma entering the room, the little children immediately beckoned their 'big sister' to join them, so Elsa decided to join the others near the fire with her uncle, brother-in-law and friends, where seemed to be much quieter. Elisabeth rose from her seat to greet her dear friend with a kiss on the cheek, and both Casper and Kristoff shared a hug with Elsa, while old Roff, who hadn't changed both physically and mentally with time, as usual, gave his niece a playful and witty comment, which Elsa responded with an adequate mischief before taking a seat next to her brother-in-law.

"Where have you been, Elsa? You left after dinner, and were gone for quite a while. We were quite worried about you," Kristoff said.

"I just went to put Ingrid to sleep. She seemed a little tired after supper, that's all," Elsa replied, sneaking a glance at the grandfather clock standing to the right of the stone hearth.

Roff snorted. "It would be a miracle that little kid didn't fall asleep, considering how much she had exhausted herself! Like mother like daughter," he huffed. "It's lucky that she's still her father's daughter, or else the castle might have been burnt down to ash by now!"

"Now don't be too harsh on your little grandniece, wouldn't you, Uncle?" Anna chided lightly, walking toward them and taking a seat between her husband and her sister. "She's an infant. What harm could she have possibly done? And you know Ingrid might inherit that energy from me. Everyone said I was such a troublesome kid when I was young."

"Oh, no, Anna," Roff shook his head, "You are simply clumsy and hasty, but the chaos you cause is minor. Your sister, however, is the fierce and troublesome one, in a serious way. You don't know how much of a trouble she was as a child, and she still is now. That's what your brother-in-law has been constantly complaining about ever since he set foot on this land. And don't make me site a few examples. We all know the story." Elsa flushed a deep scarlet at her uncle's compliment.

Casper laughed. "That's what he gets for getting involved with the Snow Queen."

"Casper Johannsen!" his wife slapped him lightly.

"I love how you say my name in such a way," the General smirked. Beth rolled her eyes at her husband.

"Wait, I know Elsa could be quite reckless and short-tempered, which makes her a troublesome one, but I've only noticed that in her a few years recently. I never heard stories of Elsa being a trouble as a kid," Kristoff said, slightly surprised.

"There are things about me you still haven't known yet, Kristoff. Your wife here is well known as the centre of mischief and pranks in this keep as a young child, but if the death of my brother hadn't been such a shock to me and I hadn't been isolated in my room for thirteen years, that title would have belonged to me," Elsa said. "Mother always said we were the most difficult babies to deal with. I mean, we're talking about twins with powers of ice and snow here."

Roff chuckled. "Aye, you two were already such a trouble since you were still nestling in your mother's womb. After you and your brother were born, it just got worse! First was the frozen nursery, then flurry fights between you and Einar. But that was merely the beginning of your mischief. Do you know that you and Einar learnt how to skate even before learning how to properly walk? And I remember the first time you spoke was to call your mother and father to help because you froze your brother in his bathtub but then didn't know how to get him out!"

Everyone then burst into a fistful of laughter. They didn't notice Emma and the kids had left their play area to join them in the story.

"Yes, I think I've heard father telling me and Einar those ones before," Elsa said, still laughing at the old memories of her and her twin brother. "But I think I remember bickering with him most. The castle was rather… loud with our debates."

"And now it's even louder with you and Mathias arguing!" Anna teased, earning herself a playful shove from her sister.

"We do not argue, we just merely-"

"Debating, we know!" everyone said in unison, rolling their eyes, which made the three kids burst out in laughter. Elsa's face couldn't have been redder.

"I have such a nice family!" Elsa muttered under her breath.

"Seriously, you two are even worse than Chancellor Andersen and Wilhelmson," Anna said with a broad grin. Elsa felt a laugh escaping her lips at the mention of the two members of her council. The two men were brother-in-laws, Wilhelmson marrying Andersen's younger sister. Andersen had never been too fond of the younger man, and they rarely shared the same opinion, so arguments seemed always occured between them. Elsa might have had to drop a few snowballs or create a few ice walls to separate them a few times, and Mathias probably had to interfere with his fire for some occasions. However, despite their annoying bickers and arguments, they were two great men who had been really helpful and supportive toward the King and Queen of Arendelle.

The evening procceeded with small coversations between the adults and children, then the room soon filled with the sound of music. Kristoff had got much better with his flute and singing voice since the day he first met Anna in the barn somewhere in the North Forest. Elsa and Emma played a duet with the piano – which was on the left to the window from across the entrance to the room – whilst Anna, Elisabeth and Ander sang along the music. Everyone was happy. For the first time in years, they had a peaceful Christmas with the whole family together, maybe save for one who had not yet returned, but it didn't mean he would not be present in such special day. After all, it was his first Christmas with his wife and two lovely daughters. The Fire King of Arendelle wouldn't miss it for the world.

Whilst in Arendelle, the snow was falling lightly, blanketing the land in a soft layer of white, everyone was in their house and celebrating the Yule with their family, somewhere in the west of the kingdom, near the borderlands, a massive blizzard was raging. The wind was howling and snapping, snow blurried the vision and the cold cut into people's skin like a thousand knifes. The group sent to escort the king consort to Bryne had to stop, for they could not continue to move in such weather. And luckily, they had managed to find a place to camp on the side of the mountain where the strong winds wouldn't blow up their tent and quench their fire. The men were sitting around large fire built up with the help of the king, each of them wrapped up in a thick wool blanket.

"It's freezing cold out here," one man complained. "I told you so. We should have stayed back in that goddamn town, and now we're here to freeze to death!"

"Then come a little closer to the fire!" another said. "It's really nice and I'm sure it will be able to keep us warm for the rest of the night. All we have to do is to feed it with firewood and it will keep burning for the whole night long."

"Aye, but I'm rather not fond of staying outside in such weather, especially in the Yule," the first man grumbled. "Has His Majesty lost his mind? Who is crazy enough to venture out in this kind of weather?"

"Hey, watch your tongue, man!" Lieutenant Haakon hissed. "Do not speak of His Majesty in such way. King Mathias has made a promise to return to the queen, princess and Lady Emma tonight, and he was only trying to keep that promise. He is a man of his words."

"Hey, I have my wife and kids, too. I want to come home with them as much as he does but this bloody blizzard doesn't want me to go home."

Haakon shook his head. He couldn't blame them, but he had had enough of these men's complaints. The soldier suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure standing near the end of the cliff, keen eyes staring into the faint lights that were Arendelle.

Mathias had been standing there for what seemed like hours, his amber eyes like two torches piercing into the blizzard, trying to make out which of the lights in the distance was the one that came from his home, where his family, his wife and children were. A deep sadness welled up inside him. He had been longing to see his wife again, to hug his adopted daughter and to hold his own baby in his arms, to see his family and spend this Yule alongside them. But alas, it seemed that fate once again separated them in this Christmas holiday. It wasn't his first Christmas in Arendelle, but the first one he got a chance to be with his loved ones, and he had lost that chance. He had made a promise to return yet he couldn't keep it.

The king consort was too preoccupied with his thoughts that he did not notice the lieutenant approaching him until he quietly cleared his throat. However, the older man didn't turn.

"I know you want to return to your wife and daughters, but it's not like you can do anything to prevent this blizzard. Your power cannot change the nature," Haakon said. Mathias sighed, probably for the tenth time in an hour.

"Now I regret that I had left them in the first place. Perhaps I shouldn't have gone to this trip, instead sending one of the members of the court to go as our representative."

"But you didn't, because you're too good and too noble," a smirl tugged at Haakon's lips. "It's rather strange because I remember clearly a few years ago you were the one who burnt my hair in front of every guard in the barracks. Everyone knew it was you, but no one could blame you because they simply didn't have the evidence to accuse you."

Mathias chuckled. "You were an arrogant ass at that time. Now look at you. An example for the royal guards to follow, one of our best soldiers," he said.

"You flatter me, Majesty," Haakon said, placing his hand over his heart dramatically.

"So much has changed since then," Mathias said, his eyes dulling for a moment.

"Aye, so much has," the soldier nodded solemnly. The two men stood in silence for a couple of minutes. Finally, Mathias spoke up.

"How far are we from the capital city?" he asked.

"Not quite far, Sire. It will only take a few hours riding to get there. Probably you'll make it an hour or so before midnight. But I doubt anyone could go in such weather."

"Good. I'm going back to Arendelle."

Haakon's eyes widened at the king's words. He was so shocked that he didn't manage to respond a few seconds later.

"What? Mathias, are you mad?" he practically shouted, royal titles be damned. After all, they were still friends, weren't they? Status and titles could not change what they had all been through together for the past few years and the friendship they had developed during the battles they had fought together.

"I'm quite certain that I am thinking very clearly, Haakon."

"But- alright, fine!" the guard sighed in resignment. He knew that once Mathias had decided something, especially when it came to his loved ones, nothing and no one could get into his way, even a blizzard like this.

"Thank you," Mathias nodded then started making his way toward the horses.

"Wait!" Haakon called, causing the fire wielder to turn around.

"Take my horse instead," he said. "He's strong and fast. I'm not saying Nótt is weak, but he is aging. I fear he wouldn't make it through this storm. Frode can take you back to Arendelle in time."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Take him, and good luck."

"Alright then, and thank you," Mathias nodded in gratitude then continued to make his way toward the horses.

Haakon watched as his king and his friend went, smiling silently.

_How things have changed over one year!_ He thought amusedly as his memory went back to the previous Christmas when a queen in particular had raced through a blizzard like this to the middle of the battlefield just to make sure one of her soldiers was alright.

_Go back to her, Mathias. You have a promise to keep._

* * *

><p>Greta's eyes fluttered open as the crying sound of the child reached her ears. The woman groaned lightly. She felt completely run down, exhausted from days of preparing for the Yule. Now she had to watch over the little princess who apparently had woken up from her sleep. Greta told herself to get up from this chair to sooth the crying baby, but somehow she couldn't get up, exhaustion taking over her and she sank back into slumber once again.<p>

But then she realised the crying had suddenly stopped. The room was quiet again. Something was not right. Her eyes shot open and she saw a figure standing next to the crib with the infant in his arms.

"Hush, my _Liten Brann_," a quiet voice said softly. "Cry not, my child. I'm here with you."

The nursemaid was now fully awake, immediately recognised the voice and rose from where she was sitting, eyes widening in shock.

"Majesty," she whispered, still not believing the man standing before her was the king consort.

"You may go," he said. "It's been a long night for you. You deserve some rest. Thank you for watching over my daughter, but I think I can manage from now."

Greta nodded silently then quickly made her way toward the door, heading straight to the servants' quarters, still couldn't believe the king had returned tonight.

Elsa was now sitting in an armchair across from her uncle, watching the other adults playing with the children with loving eyes. It warmed her heart to see her family happy like this, but still, there was a deep sadness within her, for a presence was absent from tonight. She would occasionally glance at the clock or the large window, sighing heavily as she watched time passing by as snow continued to fall outside. She knew in the west, a blizzard was raging, keeping her husband away from his family.

That, however, did not escape her uncle's eyes. Despite being an old grumpy man he was, Roff was still a caring uncle who loved and favoured Elsa with all his old heart.

"You miss him, don't you?"

Her uncle's voice torning her away from her thoughts, she turned back to face him. Elsa knew there was no denying she longed for Mathias to return tonight, for her family to reunite, so she nodded quietly, not trusting her voice.

Roff sighed. "You've been watching the clock and looking out the window every minute now. I know you're worried. He probably wouldn't be able to return tonight, but you know he will return to you. He always does."

"I know," Elsa said, exhaling heavily. "But I'm worried for him. What if something happened?"

"Everything is fine, Elsa," Roff said softly. "You would know if something wrong happens."

Elsa placed a hand over her heart then nodded. "I guess you're right, but still, I can't help feeling anxious."

The former captain snuck a glance at the rest of the family then looked back at Elsa. "Go check on your daughter. See if she's awake. Perhaps it will help keeping you preoccupied. I'll deal with these people."

Elsa smiled weakly then nodded. "Thank you, Uncle." She rose from her seat then made her way to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. The old man returned the gesture and kissed his beloved niece on her forehead.

"Go," he urged. Elsa nodded again then quickly made her way back to the nursery. As she was halfway to it, she suddenly had a strange feeling rising inside her that seemed to urge her feet to quicken. Was there something wrong? She didn't know but she had to get there fast. The queen tried her best to keep herself from sprinting toward the room, but she walked back there as fast as she could.

The door was slightly open, which was strange. She knew Greta would never be careless enough to leave the door open. Nervous welled up inside her as she quietly pushed the door open, fearing she might wake the child, and carefully stepped into the dark room. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she saw her daughter sleeping peacefully in her crib just like how she had left her. But a frown creased her brows as she looked around and saw no sign of the nursemaid, but rather a figure standing in a shadowed corner of the room. She almost panicked, but she caught those eyes and she feared she might collapse in shock.

"Elsa." A familiar voice called to her. She did not respond. Was she dreaming, or was it real? If it was real, was she too overwhelmed with happiness and joy that she couldn't be able to form a single word, or was it because she still couldn't believe in her own eyes? However, all those doubts were dismissed as she felt his arms wrapping around her, pressing her against his body and the familiar warmth of his lips felt against her. She didn't know how long they'd kissed, it could have been seconds, minutes or even hours, but somehow she couldn't even bring herself to care.

"You came back," she choked out in a whispering voice as tear brimmed in her ceulean eyes. "You came back to me, to _us_."

"I'm here, love. I've returned to you. I always do," Mathias replied in a husked voice, pressing his lips against his wife's forehead then pulled her close to his chest, wishing that he could hold her for eternity.

Elsa looked up at her husband, taking in his form for the first time. He was a horrible mess, with snow dusting everywhere on his body, his hair and his clothes, but his eyes shone with a happiness no word was enough to describe. She traced a hand along his brows and his rough cheek, tears rolling down her face.

"You came all the way here to me," she whispered, a smile cracking on her rosy lips.

"I guess we're even now," Mathias chuckled deeply, leaning his forehead against her, "Merry Christmas, _wife_."

"Merry Christmas, _husband_," she whispered back, letting out a choked laugh, grinning from ear to ear. Elsa lay her head on his shoulder and let him hold her, savouring his scent she had missed dearly. He had been gone for two weeks. Two weeks seemed to be eternity to her, but now all had been replaced by an overwhelmed joy inside her.

"Come," Elsa finally spoke, taking his hand in hers. "Let's go. We have a family waiting for us, and in particular, a daughter waiting for you to return to her. She is still unaware of your return. We must tell her and everyone!" A broad grin broke from her face as she led him out of the room, closing the door behind her. But after taking a few steps, she stopped and whirled around to face him.

"Never do that to me again, do you hear me, Mathias Watson? I was worried sick about you!" she said firmly.

"No promises," he laughed. "You know that would be impossible, for there are many trials laid before us. But know that you are never alone, and no matter what, I will always be with you. And I will return to you, always."

"Promise?" she said.

"Promise," he nodded, staring into her eyes – the beautiful eyes he adored. The two of them then hand in hand headed downstairs where a family was waiting for them, a smile never leaving their lips for that night. After all they had been through, finally they had been granted a full night alongside the ones they loved, with their family and friends who had been with them in all they had had to face, and would no doubt continue to face with the other challenges laid ahead of the Guardian and the Protector. After all they had been through, this was a future they never imagined they would have, but certainly was the future they deserved.


End file.
